Kenya: Obado Quizzed, Unlikely to Spend Night in Cell as PA Moved to Nairobi

Sharon Otieno's parents Douglas Otieno (in black cap) and Melida Auma (second right) with their relatives at Homa Bay where Migori Governor Okoth Obado's personal assistant Michael Oyamo was to be arraigned over the abduction and murder of their daughter in the picture taken on Tuesday September 11, 2018.

Nairobi — Migori Governor Okoth Obado recorded a lengthy statement with detectives investigating the murder of Rongo University student Sharon Otieno on Tuesday, but was unlikely to spend the night in custody.

A senior DCI detective in the investigation told Capital FM News that Obado was to be released on a free bond but would be required to report back to detectives at the Nyanza Regional DCI headquarters for further questioning.

"He will not spend the night in custody but we will still need him tomorrow," the senior officer briefed by detectives undertaking the probe said.

Obeying police summons to record a statement over the murder, Obado was accompanied by two lawyers among them Cliff Ombeta who represented him during Sharon's autopsy in Homa Bay last week.

"My client is not under arrest, he was called to record a statement and I am here with him," Ombeta told Capital FM News earlier on Tuesday.

Detectives have already taken DNA samples from Obado who was implicated by Nation journalist Barrack Oduor who had contacted him over an alleged love affair he had with Sharon before they were abducted.

Oduor told police they had gone to meet the Obado's Personal Assistant with Sharon but he left them in a car with abductors who assaulted them before he managed to jump out leaving Sharon, whose body was found the following day in a forest in Homa Bay.

Sharon was seven months pregnant and had allegedly fallen out with the governor whom she claimed was the father of the unborn child.

The autopsy conducted last Friday by Government Pathologist Dr Johansen Oduor showed that Sharon was stabbed eight times and strangled before a knife stab on the left side of her body pierced through the foetus.

"We have interrogated the governor on the alleged affair with Sharon and many other issues including how and why his PA went to meet the deceased and the Nation journalist," another detective said. "We are analysing his statement."

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Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti told Capital FM News that the DNA test was part of the probe to determine if Obado was, in any way, involved directly or indirectly, to the murder that occurred last week.

Obado's PA Michael Oyamo and a former local County Assembly Member have been in custody and were transferred to Nairobi late Tuesday to face charges due to the volatile situation in Homa Bay where the PA was arraigned on Monday.

"They will be in court tomorrow (Wednesday) because the case is being moved to Nairobi," a detective said.

Police have said they are still looking for four men said to have killed Sharon and dumped her body in the forest.

There has been mounting pressure on police to arrest and charge the Migori Governor over the murder, but the DCI boss says "we cannot just arrest and charge anyone in court because of pressure from the public. Investigations are a complex affair which takes time. Please wait for the outcome."

Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji on Sunday warned that "no one will be spared in this case but the police should be given time to complete investigations."

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